The Attack
by katie1999
Summary: The alcalde was so obsessed with his goal of capturing Zorro that he forgot the security of the pueblo resulting in dire consequences for all. Warnings apply for death and violence. Those scared off by the violence can skip chapters 3 4 continuing from chapter 5 on.
1. Chapter 1

This story is an amateur, not-for-profit publication produced solely for the enjoyment of other Zorro fans and is not intended to infringe upon any rights by Goodman/Rosen Productions, New World Television, Zorro Productions, the estate of Johnston McCulley or anyone else.

**The Attack **

_**A/N:****Warning**: This story contains violence, death(not! of main characters) and mentioning of adult topics, but I keep the story within the rating of T and up. This not a nice and easy going story and a certain tolerance for angst and terror is required for reading. _

**Chapter 1 **

It was mid morning and the day promised to be fair and sunny. Alejandro was sitting on the porch of the tavern sipping coffee when Diego and Felipe joined him at the table, watching the coach arrive in the plaza.

Diego looked up when he noticed someone standing by his table. To his disappointment it wasn't Victoria to take his order but Paula, her young helper who had started to work at the tavern a few weeks ago.

"I'll take some coffee and Felipe takes a lemonade as usual." Smiling at her he tried to encourage the young woman who was still a little shy around customers.

"Look Diego, these must be the new settlers from Spain my friend Don Fernando has been waiting for." Alejandro pointed at the coach in the center of the plaza where men were unloading luggage from the top of the carriage. A man in his early thirties helped a plump woman in a plain blue dress with a small boy of about five years to step out of the carriage. All wore simple, but neat clothes and looked tired from their journey. "The ship from Spain must have come earlier than expected for them to arrive already from the harbor of San Pedro."

"Is this about the patch of land near the small river that Don Fernando wants to lease to a Spanish family?" Diego asked his father.

Alejandro was about to answer when they were distracted by an argument between the newcomers and Sergeant Mendoza.

"I have never heard of these taxes," the newcomer said angrily. "Five Pesos for traveler's tax I would be willing to pay, but ten percent immigration tax on our values will rob us and we won't be able to pay for the land anymore. You can't do this!"

Alejandro rose from his chair to step from the veranda and inquire about the argument. Diego nodded silently to Felipe who made a hidden sign for Zorro. Loudly he said to his father, "I'm expecting some new books from Spain and I have to ride to San Pedro to check if they have arrived with the ship. I'm taking Felipe with me. We'll need to leave quickly so that we have time to make it back before nightfall. Please excuse us now."

Angrily, Alejandro looked at his son, "Why can't you for once support me and protest with me against this injustice? But your books are always more important!" Waving annoyed with his riding gloves he stepped from the porch to approach Mendoza without looking back.

As soon as Diego and Felipe were outside Los Angeles, they stopped their horses.

"Felipe, you have to ride to San Pedro and get my books while I take care of this new tax." Felipe signed something, but Diego shook his head.

"Don't worry about me, Zorro will manage without you today. You'll have to hurry if you want to be back from San Pedro in the evening. Returning with the books will convince my father that I've really been there. You don't mind going on your own, do you? If everything goes smoothly, I'll try to catch up with you later."

Felipe signed that he was no longer a small boy and fully capable to manage on his own.

"Good journey then, Felipe." Diego patted Felipe on the shoulder before he raced back to the hacienda to change into Zorro.

Z Z Z

Alejandro and several others including Victoria were gathered on the plaza and arguing with the alcalde over the new tax when Zorro arrived.

The cheering crowd opened up to let him pass through and he quickly disarmed the lancers and locked them in the cuartel who made no real effort to resist him. Knowing that the time was short until the lancers freed themselves, he swiftly disarmed the alcalde with his sword after a short fight.

"Alcalde, how often have we been through this?" Zorro asked. "This immigration tax is illegal and you know it. Rescind it immediately."

Grudgingly, De Soto agreed. "I rescind the immigration tax. Mendoza, return the money to these people." Zorro made his Z on De Soto's vest, before he turned around to face Victoria. "I'll get you one day, Zorro. I won't give up!"

"You're always free to try, Alcalde," Zorro grinned, looking back over his shoulder. Then he took Victoria's hand and placed a kiss on it. "I'm hoping for the day when this will be over, Victoria."

"So am I, Zorro," she replied with a smile.

Zorro hesitated a little, looking longingly into her eyes, then he saluted and mounted Toronado.

As soon as he was on his way, De Soto freed the lancers from the cuartel.

"After him!" he shouted "Don't let him get away. Get on your horses!"

More than half of the garrison mounted in pursuit of Zorro, who led them to where he could easily evade them by jumping Perdido Canyon on Toronado, a feat their military horses were unable to perform.

Neither Zorro nor any of the soldiers saw the man hidden on a small hill overlooking Los Angeles, gloating at Zorro and the soldiers passing him by. He passed the signal to his nearby comrade who was soon on his way.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Most of the lancers were out of town racing after Zorro when it happened. The bandits had been waiting for just this moment. As soon as the lancers were out of sight they attacked the pueblo from all sides. Without its lancers the pueblo was defenseless and soon overwhelmed by the large group of bandits.

Those who tried to resist died first. The alcalde was shot at once and Don Alejandro was severely wounded. The tavern was made into their headquarters and all the injured were brought there as well to be cared for under supervision.

Z Z Z

After Zorro got rid of his pursuers he heard noise and shooting from the pueblo. He climbed up a hill to get a good vantage point and took out his spy-glass. With horror he watched the attack on the pueblo, unable to do anything. He saw the alcalde shot in the breast and his father crumble to the ground as well. His first impulse was to rush back to the pueblo to help with the defense, but counting the number of bandits and watching the brutality of the attackers, he knew it was suicide to try a single attack. There were too many of them and they would soon kill him like the alcalde and the others who had resisted.

These were no inept lancers who were not really interested in capturing him. He needed to get help before any more citizens were harmed. He feared for his father and Victoria at the tavern. Except for riding to Santa Barbara and alarming the garrison, there was only one choice. He had to enlist the lancers to help him.

Returning to the main road he hid behind some rocks. Zorro didn't have to wait long until the lancers, with sergeant Mendoza in the lead, returned from their pursuit.

"Sergeant Mendoza," he yelled, rising from his hiding point.

"Zorro!" As soon as they saw him, they started firing but to no avail, since Zorro hid again behind the rock until all the rifles were fired. When he left his safe spot with his sword drawn, the lancers knew they had no chance against him and didn't even try to fight him.

"Sergeant Mendoza, I need to talk to you. We need to make a truce."

"A truce, Zorro?" Mendoza asked incredulously. "Why should we do that?"

"While you were chasing me, the pueblo was attacked by a large group of bandits!" Zorro described what he had seen from his observation point. "The alcalde is dead along with most of the men who have resisted the attack."

"Madre de Dios," Mendoza made the sign of a cross, "We have to ride to the pueblo immediately."

"That would be suicide," Zorro contradicted him. "The bandits are waiting for your return. They will shoot you as soon as they have spotted you."

"But there must be something we can do to help the pueblo, Zorro," Mendoza said desperately. "Maybe we should ride to Santa Barbara and get some reinforcements."

"There is no time for that. In the time you need to ride to Santa Barbara and return, the bandits will pillage the pueblo and harm or kill more people. I have a plan if you and your men are willing to do exactly as I say. That's why I want to make a truce for the time being."

Zorro looked at Mendoza expectantly. "It's your decision since after the alcalde's death you are now the highest ranking officer!"

Mendoza was still shocked by the news and looked inquiringly at his fellow lancers. Most of them had family and friends in the pueblo and feared for their safety. They all nodded in silent agreement.

The lancers knew they were outnumbered and without a clever plan they stood no chance of winning or even surviving an attack to recapture the pueblo from the bandits. Mendoza was not the right man to come up with a plan. Trusting Zorro was their only hope.

As a safeguard Private Martinez was dispatched to ride to Santa Barbara for help while the others would follow Zorro's orders.

"If the bandit's leader is smart, he will have posted guards to raise the alarm as soon as they spot the soldiers. They will assume that you either don't know about the attack on the pueblo or will be foolish enough to dare a direct attack. If we try that we won't stand a chance, but run into their trap."

Mendoza looked at him puzzled. "What else can we do?"

Zorro grinned. "We will attack them from the rooftops. They won't expect that from normal soldiers."

"From the roofs?" Mendoza asked. "How will we fight from there?"

Zorro rolled out a large paper with a detailed map of the pueblo and gathered the soldiers around them. Pointing at the map he explained his plan. "We climb here and here on the roofs." He circled the houses with his gloved finger. "There are rain barrels at the houses of Ramirez and Fernandez that make climbing up easy. Señor Valdez always keeps his ladder lying at the side of the house. He won't mind us borrowing it."

The soldiers nodded, being familiar with the houses. "From there we walk across the rooftops until we reach the houses around the plaza and adjacent to the cuartel."

Zorro turned to the soldiers. "I need you to be careful. You must not be seen from below. It will be best if you walk in the center and avoid walking close to the roof edges." He looked at them in turn and each one nodded silently in agreement. "That's understood then. It's also important that you save your ammunition. The reserves you have with you is all we have for the moment. When you fire I only want half of you to fire so you can keep the bandits in check with loaded rifles while the others have time to reload."

Zorro remembered when some bandits tried to lure him into a trap and fired on his dummy, only to find out that they had wasted their shots. The time they needed to reload had given him the time to act against them.

Zorro explained the details of the plan, organizing the soldiers and distributing them on strategic points at the pueblo. "It's important that we lure the bandits out of their hiding places," he explained. "An explosion should draw their attention."

"An explosion? What kind of explosion?" Mendoza asked, concerned.

"The explosion of the armory," Zorro challenged him.

"You want to blow up the armory?" Mendoza asked incredulously. "That will destroy the whole cuartel."

"Either we blow it up or they will. I don't think the bandits intend to leave the pueblo intact and it's better we do it at our time table." Zorro explained. "Do you have any prisoners at the moment, Mendoza?"

"No, after the alcalde had the cattle thieves hanged two days ago, there weren't any new ones." Mendoza shook his head.

"So we can be quite certain that the only ones in the cuartel will be the bandits. We can't leave them unlimited access to munition if we want to defeat them." Zorro declared.

"First, I will move ahead to knock out any bandits who are hiding there. Then you'll put your men into place on the roof. I'll place a time delayed bomb to blow up the armory with a bomb, and when they come running out of their hiding places we can take them prisoners, threatening them from above." Mendoza nodded in agreement.

"As far as I could see," Zorro continued, "they have made the tavern their headquarters. It is important that we secure the tavern as soon as possible. I expect most of the bandits will be running out into the plaza, but we need to get into it. While your men take care of the bandits on the plaza," Zorro addressed Mendoza, "I want a few to enter the tavern from both sides while I come from the roof."

"What about using one of your smoke bombs inside the tavern?" Mendoza asked. Zorro shook his head. "I thought about that too, but in this case it may cause more harm than good. Besides the bandits there are also women and the wounded inside and we want to see clearly who we attack." Both men understood that Zorro was concerned for Victoria and her helpers.

Zorro felt some remorse that his plan involved the killing of the bandits, but he knew this time he couldn't avoid bloodshed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

When Victoria and her helpers heard the shooting, they went outside to see what was going on. Victoria feared it was the soldiers shooting at Zorro, but what she saw was worse. A group of bandits rode into the pueblo, creating havoc, killing the soldiers and other men who raised a weapon against them. It reminded her of the time the pueblo was under siege, except that this time the group of bandits was larger and better equipped while most of the garrison was away chasing Zorro.

The alcalde was shouting commands to his remaining soldiers, but he was shot soon after. Shocked she saw Don Alejandro fall to the ground in front of the tavern. Together with Alicia she ran to him.

"Don Alejandro," she cried, kneeling beside him.

"I got shot in the leg," Alejandro opened his eyes, his face contorted with pain, "but I had worse during my time as soldier." Victoria motioned Alicia to help her. As the two women lifted him from the ground, Alejandro lost consciousness.

They managed to carry three other injured caballeros into the tavern, hastily laying them down in a corner. In the tavern the women took care of the wounded, bandaging the injuries and stopping the bleeding. It was all they could do at the moment as it was too dangerous to cross the plaza to get Dr. Hernandez. Victoria saw some of the women from the plaza seeking refuge in the mission. Among them, she recognized the young woman from the coach this morning, hesitatingly leaving her dead husband on the plaza, and bringing her son into the safety of the church.

Z Z Z

The bandits had conquered the pueblo and taken their headquarters in the tavern, to be served by Victoria and her helper. After the men had eaten, they started to get drunk as Victoria wasn't in the position to refuse them hard drinks. The more drunk they became the more direct were their advances at Victoria and her helpers, Alicia and Paula. Though all three were terrified, Victoria tried not to show her fear and appear calm on the outside. Alicia and Paula were less successful and Paula jumped back in fear when one of the men touched her arm. The men at the table laughed at her frightened state, finding her a good target for their advances while she became more fearful every time she came to their table. Victoria tried to intervene by serving the table herself, but she was ordered back to the kitchen to prepare more meals.

Z Z Z

The leader of the bandits then told Paula to go with him to one of the rooms upstairs.

"No," she refused, trying to free herself from his grip. "Please, Señor, let me go."

"Señor," Victoria tried to save her, "this is a tavern not a bordello. Leave her alone."

"I think you don't understand your situation. This pueblo now belongs to me, Pedro Sanchez, and I can do as I like."

"Do you still refuse, you wench?" he asked Paula, who only nodded with open fear in her eyes.

Sanchez took the pistol and aimed at the bound and injured caballeros at the back of the tavern. Randomly choosing his target, he shot the man next to Don Alejandro. Except for the bandits everyone in the tavern was shocked by this act of brutality.

"Who shall die next? Or have you changed your mind?" he asked Paula who was too terrified to say anything. Her resistance broken, she climbed up the stairs, shaking. Sanchez followed her, obviously enjoying the terror he produced.

"Your turn will come too, Señorita," he smirked at Victoria as he passed her by, "but for the moment I prefer younger flesh and not one used by Zorro." Paula screamed, frightened, as he slapped her on the buttocks.

While Alicia started to cry silently, Victoria looked at him terrified and only wished for the nightmare to end.

Soon after Sanchez had vanished upstairs the bandits nudged each other for silence. A shrieking sound from a woman could be heard from upstairs and the men began to laugh, ordering more drinks. With trembling hands Victoria and Alicia refilled the glasses.

Some minutes later a loud explosion was heard in the tavern, shaking the walls. "The armory has blown up!" Someone shouted. Grabbing their weapons most of the bandits left the tables and ran outside to the plaza.

There was loud shouting heard outside and before Victoria and Alicia were able to react, the tavern was under attack.

_**A/N:** From your reviews I know that you all expected more action from Zorro at this point and I thought of changing the chapter a bit. But I have already delayed this chapter because I couldn't work on my laptop (I needed to replace it) and my beta was busy with real life, I kept the chapter as I intended it. The next one will follow soon._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Following the plan Zorro had laid out, the soldiers managed to overcome the bandits and get them out of their hiding places. While some soldiers secured what remained of the cuartel and the alcalde's office, another group of soldiers under the command of Mendoza attacked the tavern as the bandits' last outpost.

While Victoria and Alicia retreated fearfully to the tavern wall, soldiers stormed the tavern from both entrances as Zorro climbed in from the roof as he had done many times before.

"Zorro!" Victoria cried out, relieved, as he graciously swung himself from the chandelier. Zorro nodded shortly in her direction before his attention was occupied by the bandits' leader.

Alarmed by the commotion, Pablo Sanchez emerged from the upper room and challenged Zorro with a sword he grabbed from one of his fallen comrades.

"You will not kill me as you did my brother when he laid siege to your pueblo, but instead I will kill you!" Sanchez shouted.

"I thought I had seen your face before, Sanchez," Zorro replied. "This will be the last time you show your face here in this pueblo!"

Zorro was too tired to engage in longer swordplay. In a few quick moves he disarmed the man, making him drop the sword to the ground. Just as he was about to knock him out, Zorro saw someone standing on the stairs. It was Paula who had come out of the room while they were fighting. She was holding one of the double-barreled pistols Sanchez had stolen from the alcalde, pointing it straight at Sanchez..

"He forced me, and I couldn't do anything," she said in desperate voice, "but he will pay for it." Before anyone could make a move she fired at Sanchez, who fell to the ground instantly, clutching his hand to his breast where the bullet had hit him.

"No!" someone shouted, and in the resulting silence the second shot seemed all the louder as Paula put the pistol to her own breast and pulled the trigger. Zorro tried to prevent her from pulling the trigger, but only made it in time to catch her body as she fell from the stairs. After he lay her on the floor, he looked up into Victoria's shocked face as he slowly shook his head to answer her unspoken question.

Alicia was sobbing, "Can I go home now?" When no one objected, she fled the tavern.

Zorro rose to his feet again, shielding Victoria with his body from the gruesome sight of her friend lying dead on the floor.

"I'm sorry," he said remorsefully, "I was too late. That shouldn't have happened, but I just couldn't get here earlier. I'm so sorry." For once his concern for Victoria took precedence over everything else. "What happened here? Did they harm you, Victoria?"

Victoria tried to keep her composure, but he could see that she had a very hard time. "It was very bad, but they didn't touch me. They wanted to, but you came in time," she said, biting her lip.

"Thank God for that, at least one good news for today," he said, breathing out relieved. With a slight gesture he opened up his arms for her to step into his embrace, but she refused, shaking her head.

"Not now," she whispered. It was neither the time nor the place to show weakness. She knew she wouldn't be able to stop crying if she allowed him to comfort her now. "I'm here for you when you need me," he replied quietly.

Realizing she didn't want to break down in front of the soldiers, Zorro simply stepped behind her and put an arm around her back to support her nonetheless. Victoria leaned back into his strong arm for a moment gaining strength from him, thanking him with a small smile. Then she pulled herself up again, standing a little straighter than before and retreated to the kitchen, as Zorro turned his attention to his surroundings again. The soldiers took care of the remaining bandits and bound them, before leading them out of the tavern.

In the corner of the tavern, Don Pedro lay dead next to Alejandro and two other caballeros receiving treatment from Dr. Hernandez, who had been called after the soldiers had secured the tavern.

"How are they?" Zorro stepped to the doctor, concerned for his father who was unconscious on the floor.

"There is nothing I can do for Don Pedro. Don Alonzo and Don Esteban are in a severe condition, I'm not sure if they will make it. I know you care for Don Alejandro who has always supported you, but I can relieve you, although he is unconscious due to his blood loss, his condition is stable and as long as his leg doesn't get infected, he will recover soon."

"Thank you, Doctor Hernandez. I know you're doing your best."

"If you will excuse me now, Zorro, I must go over to the church to see if I am needed there. Then I'll send one of the boys from the mission over to their haciendas to have these men transported home."

"I met Don Diego and Felipe today on their way to San Pedro, but they should return soon. I'll take care that the De la Vegas are informed." Zorro replied.

After Mendoza's men delivered the bandits from the tavern to the jail, his soldiers carried the bodies of the dead from the plaza over to the church.

"Mendoza, is everything under control again?" he inquired the sergeant.

"Si, Señor Zorro, thanks to you. We'd never have been able to overcome these bandits so quickly without your help and who knows what else they'd have done." Mendoza looked down sadly where the bloodstains were still visible on the wooden floor.

"I want your men to clean the blood from the floor," Zorro ordered. "That is no work for women. Victoria has been through enough today."

"That is very considerate of you, Zorro. I'll have one of my men fetch a bucket at once. How is Señorita Victoria coping with it?"

"I haven't had the time to talk to her, but I will check on her now. You won't need me anymore and I must be gone before the soldiers from Santa Barbara arrive and shoot me since they have not been informed of our truce. Please excuse me now." Zorro saluted before he retreated to the kitchen to talk to Victoria.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Zorro saw that it took her all her willpower to keep her composure and she mainly tried to numb her pain with washing the dishes. Stepping to the sink where she was washing the same plate over and over again, he removed the plate from her strong grip and set it aside.

"It is over, Querida. You can relax now." He drew her close to him.

"How can you say that," she accused him, depressed. "You said you'd be here for me, but as soon as the lancers from Santa Barbara arrive, you will vanish, leaving me alone."

Her whole body began to shake and she leaned her head against his chest. "It was so terrible today. When Paula refused to go up with him to a room, Sanchez shot Don Pedro just like that and then they were aiming at Don Alejandro and I didn't know what to do.., he said I'd be next after Paula..."

Zorro was shocked by what she told him and in his anger he longed to kill them, but at the same time he knew that it was wrong and it wouldn't help anyone.

"Zorro, please, don't go, I need you today," she begged him.

Putting an arm around her small waist to support her, he caressed her cheek with his other hand. "Victoria, I don't want to leave you alone now, but I have to go." When he kissed her tenderly she didn't respond his kiss and remained stiff in his arms.

"Does it matter what you want? Or what I want? How much I need you?" She looked at him, trying not to show her despair at the prospect of facing the aftermath of the day on her own. "You'd better go quickly then. The soldiers will arrive soon. Don't worry about me, I'll manage."

With that she turned back to her dishes, as if rubbing the same plate again and again with all her power would help her to erase the memory of the past hours.

Seeing her in this state he drew her in his arms again. "No, I don't think you'll manage." He was concerned she hadn't cried at all, keeping it all bottled up inside. "I'm here, Victoria, I'm here for you," he tried to reach her, but she only shook her head in denial. None of his efforts to comfort her could bring her out of her shocked state and he realized it wasn't enough this time.

Holding her tight in his safe embrace, he felt her body trembling in his arms. "Querida," he said hesitantly and she could see he was pondering on something.

"There is nothing I want more than to have you in my arms and hold you. I need you as much as you need me. It was a terrible day for us all, so much death and hurt. Victoria,..." he stopped his sentence, taking a deep breath, "if I.. if I removed this mask that has been standing between us far too long, will you let me stay at your side or will you hate me, because I lied to you?" Intensely he looked at her, his inner turmoil reflected by his hands as they started to massage her arms with his strong fingers.

"You would do that for me? To be here for me?" When he only nodded, she looked at him incredulously and taken aback at the seriousness of his question at the same time. It was something she had never expected from him. "Trust me, Zorro, I'll never hate you. Not now, not ever. I gave my promise to the man and not the mask! I'd do anything to have you here with me!"

Searching her face to convince himself, he released her before he lifted the mask with both hands far enough to his forehead that she could see his whole face for the first time. Diego saw the shock on her face as she recognized him. "Diego?" she whispered without making a move.

He pulled the mask back down covering his face again in case someone came into the kitchen unexpectedly and held out his arms to her. "I would have liked to spare you another shock today, but I can't keep on lying to you anymore. I love you, Victoria and I always have. Forgive me?"

Victoria only nodded before she let herself sink back into his arms bracing herself against his black shirt. "Just don't leave me, Diego. Please, don't leave me," she whispered, hardly able to speak. "I won't, Querida. I'm here for you." Only then he was able to get a reaction out of her. Finally she started to relax a little and her arms found their way around his neck.

"Now I can believe you. As Diego you've always been here for me." She began to welcome his caresses, slowly coming back to her senses.

"I must go to the hacienda to change and get a wagon to transport my father back there, but I'll return as fast as I can. Will you manage without me for the short time until I return?" he asked, concerned, seeing that she was still under shock.

"Just hold me for a moment before you go." Victoria begged him. He held her in a tight embrace and caressed her soothingly until she no longer shook so much and calmed down a little. "You're not alone, Querida. Trust me, Victoria. You can always rely on me."

"I'm feeling better already, D.. Zorro. I just need some time." Victoria sat down on a chair, trying to comprehend everything that had happened today. Zorro crouched down before her, taking her hands in his.

"You're sure?" At her assuring nod he squeezed her hands and placed a kiss on the corner of her mouth. "I'll hurry." Quickly, he climbed the wall to the first floor and left through the window after a sharp whistle for Toronado.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

After urging Toronado to a fast pace on the way back to the cave, Diego quickly changed into the suit that he had worn in the morning, before slipping into the library. There was no time now for the bath he longed for and it would have to wait until he had picked up up his father and Victoria from the tavern.

Hastily he went to the stables at the back of the hacienda, ordering the servants to prepare a matted cart to transport his father while he went in search of Felipe.

"Felipe," he called and soon the youth came running. Taking him to the side so they wouldn't be overheard, Diego asked him to take care of Toronado and then meet him at the stables to accompany him to the tavern. Felipe was surprised about the rush and demanded an explanation, but Diego was too busy giving orders.

He wanted the servants to have a guest room ready, and a tub prepared for Victoria's arrival. Hopefully this nightmare of a day would be over soon.

With Felipe following him on his heels, Diego entered the tavern about half an hour later, looking the perfect caballero in his tailored brown suit and pristine white ruffled shirt. Except for the smile missing from his face he gave the impression as if he'd had a good day until he heard of the attack and his father's injury.

A close observer could see the weariness in his eyes while he kept up the act, feigning ignorance of the events of the day while asking Mendoza questions.

"Zorro came to the hacienda and told us about the attack. We came here immediately when we heard what happened and that my father is injured."

"Zorro has saved us all today, Don Diego. Without his clever strategy to overcome the bandits, the pueblo wouldn't be standing anymore. The bandits boasted about their plans to burn down the houses after they had plundered it."

"Victoria!...Where is she? Is she alright, Mendoza?"

"I don't know. She went to the kitchen before Zorro left. All this has her terribly upset, Don Diego."

"What about the bandits? Where did you put them after the cuartel was destroyed?" Diego inquired.

"One of the prison cells remained intact and they are kept there under guard," Mendoza explained.

"How do they all fit inside?" Diego was surprised.

Mendoza looked down, stricken. "There weren't that many left. Many died on the plaza in futile resistance, and...there was that incident, too."

"What incident?" Diego was alarmed.

"The private we sent to Santa Barbara for reinforcements was in love with Victoria's helper, Paula. When he heard upon his return what had happened to her, he took a rifle and shot down the prisoners." Diego didn't hide his shock about the news. When would this nightmare be over?

Z Z Z

Diego found Victoria in the kitchen sitting on the same chair in the same position as he left her as Zorro.

"Victoria, I heard you had a terrible time. I'm glad nothing happened to you!" Without another word he drew her into a comforting hug, showing his affection as much as his role as Diego and the publicity of the situation allowed. "I'm back, Querida," he whispered in her ear with the voice she knew as Zorro's, feeling some tension leaving her while she made no effort to be released from his embrace.

"From what I heard from Mendoza, I think it will be the best if you don't stay at the tavern tonight. I'd like you to come with me to the hacienda to put some distance between you and the horrible events today. There will be a guest room ready for you," he said aloud again, begging her silently with his look to accompany him tonight to the hacienda.

Just thinking of the events brought the terror back to her eyes. She swallowed her uprising tears again and nodded in agreement.

accept your offer. I just need to get a few things, but then I'll be ready." She went up to her room to pack a bag for the night while Diego and Felipe carried the unconscious Alejandro to the padded cart outside the tavern.

"How is your father, Diego?" she asked, coming back down the stairs.

"I just talked to Dr. Hernandez. He is unconscious because he has lost a lot of blood, but he is in no danger as long as the wound doesn't get infected. Also thanks to you, as I heard. Felipe and I moved him on the cart to take him home."

"It was all I could do, Diego," she replied sadly. "I wish I could have saved Don Pedro as well."

Diego wanted to draw her in his arms again to hold and caress her, but he couldn't do so in public.

Offering his hand, Diego helped Victoria onto the front seat of the cart, sitting down beside her while Felipe stayed at the back next to Alejandro. As soon as they were out of sight of the pueblo Diego put an arm around Victoria's shoulder and pulled her close. "Anything I can do for you, Querida?" he asked softly, but she only shook her head, burying her face in his shoulder.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

At the hacienda a servant was waiting to lead Victoria to a guest room and the adjacent bathroom where a tub with hot water was being filled for her. She stepped into the hot water, feeling the need to cleanse herself not only of the dirt, but also the memory of the men who had tried to touch her and the horrible hours she had endured.

The warmth relaxed her and soon the tears that she hadn't allowed herself started to fall unrestrained. She left the hot tub and covered herself with a big towel that the servant had placed on a stool, before she threw herself on the bed and began to sob. She didn't know how long she cried, only that she couldn't stop.

"Querida, it is over now. I'm here and I won't let anything happen to you," she heard Diego say soothingly while she felt herself drawn into his arms, comforting and caressing her until she no longer cried and began to calm down.

"What are you doing here in my room?" she asked when she came back to her senses, surprised to find herself in his embrace while she only wore a towel.

"I came looking for you to call you for dinner, but you didn't hear my knocking and then I heard you crying."

"I just need a few more minutes to dress," Victoria started to blush when she looked down at herself, the towel leaving a lot more uncovered than she intended to show him at this point of their relationship. A little embarrassed himself, Diego retreated to the door, but shortly before he reached it, he turned around again. With determined steps he came back to kiss her passionately, leaving them both panting as he withdrew again.

"I love you, Victoria and I can't wait for us to get married." Then he closed the door behind him, giving her time to get ready. She looked after him at the closed door surprised by his self-confident behavior that she only knew from Zorro.

They talked little during dinner and mostly for Felipe's benefit, who needed to know what had happened in the pueblo while he had been to the port of San Pedro, ignorant of the events.

Felipe offered to take the first vigil at Alejandro's bed, but Diego wouldn't have it, saying he couldn't sleep anyway after all that had happened today. Reluctantly, Diego agreed to have Felipe take over the second watch on his insistence.

'I was in San Pedro, enjoying myself, while you and Victoria went through a nightmare,' Felipe signed. 'If I couldn't help you during the attack, I want to do my share now by taking care of your father with you.'

Z Z Z

Diego was half asleep in the chair beside his father's bed when he woke up at Victoria's light touch on his arm. Her nightgown fully covered by a robe she stood in front of him.

"Victoria, what are you doing here? Is something wrong?" He rose from his chair to take her in his arms.

"I tried to sleep, but whenever I closed my eyes I saw Paula again, how she was lying there..," Victoria buried her face in his chest seeking his comfort. "Please let me keep vigil with you tonight. I just can't be alone now. The only thing I want from you now is to feel you here with me and to know that I'm not alone. It was so horrible when they shot Don Pedro and I knew I would be next or they would shoot your father and I didn't know what to do. I only prayed that you would come to our rescue and then I heard Paula cry out upstairs. I never felt that helpless before." Her body shook from her crying.

"It's alright, Victoria. I'm here for you and I need to feel you in my arms too." He sat back down in the big leather chair with comfortable cushioned armrests and pulled her on his lap with her feet tucked up on the chair. Then he picked up a blanket that was lying on a nearby chair and covered them both with it. "Feeling better now?" he asked her softly. With an arm around his neck she rested her head on his shoulder and nodded.

"Tell me about today and how you managed to free the pueblo with so few soldiers...and, how did you know we were under attack?"

In a low voice Diego began to recount the events from the minute he had watched the attack from his vantage point to the moment he had entered the tavern. "I have never been so afraid before that I would be too late to save you. I'm sorry for what happened to Paula. I wish I had come earlier with the soldiers to save her."

"Diego, it is not your fault. Without you we would all be dead or worse. The pueblo wouldn't be standing anymore if the bandits had remained any longer. I heard the men talking about setting the pueblo on fire with its inhabitants still inside after they had plundered it. Only the hope you would come for me, helped me to keep going on."

They kissed for a long time, unaware of Alejandro stirring in his bed. He had been awakened by their voices, silently listening to Diego's tale with tears running down his face, moved by the realization that his son was Zorro as well as the terrible events they had faced today while he had been unconscious.

Soon both of them fell into an exhausted sleep in the chair while Alejandro lay awake in his bed listening to their even breathing, too excited from their tales to find any sleep. The throbbing in his leg had ceased due to the painkiller he had been given, the awful taste still lingering in his mouth. He didn't have the heart to wake them from their well deserved rest after all they had been through today and decided to keep vigil over them instead, reversing the intended roles and giving him time to think about all he had unintentionally learned tonight.

When Diego woke up again by Victoria's stirring in his arms, he was surprised to find Felipe sitting on the other side of his father's bed answering to his father's low whispers with his signs.

"Father?" he inquired quietly not wanting to wake up Victoria.

"I'm fine, Diego, I just can't sleep anymore after I've been sleeping the whole day. Old people don't need so much sleep anymore." His father had turned his head to look at him and he didn't seem to be astonished at all to find Victoria sleeping in Diego's arms.

"Take Victoria to her room and go to sleep in a real bed in your room, son," he ordered him. "Don't worry about me. I'll soon be fine again. We'll talk tomorrow and Felipe will keep me company." Felipe only nodded in agreement and signed him to leave.

Too tired for arguing and stiff from sleeping in the chair, Diego lifted Victoria in his arms as she murmured something unintelligible while clinging to his neck, and carried her to her room. When he tried to untangle from her to put her to bed, she only drew him closer. "Don't leave me," she whispered half asleep. "You promised."

Not really determined to leave her as his upbringing requested, he needed to feel her safe in his arms where he could protect her, whispering thankful prayers that she had been spared the same fate as Paula. Still fully dressed, he lay down beside her, listening to her even breathing until he fell asleep again. Some time during the night he returned to his own bed only to be disturbed in the early morning hours by screaming that came from across the hall. Quickly, he put on his trousers before he rushed to Victoria's room to find her sitting in her bed crying and shaking. He sent the servant away who had woken up from the noise.

"Querida, it's over. Please, don't cry." Diego sat down at her bedside and took her in his arms.

"Diego, I dreamed that it was me he chose and then I had to go up with him to my room and then he hurt me and I screamed for help and there was no one there. It was so terrifying." Victoria put her hands before her face to blend out the horrors, hiding her tears.

It took her a long time to calm down again and because she was afraid to go to sleep again, he urged her to drink some cactus tea as a sleeping potion. Reluctantly, she swallowed the bitter medicine after he promised to stay with her until she fell asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Early in the morning Diego got up again to relieve Felipe from his vigil. After he sent Felipe to his bed, who had been dozing in a chair, he retrieved his place in the chair he and Victoria had occupied the night before.

His father opened his eyes and addressed him as soon as he had made himself comfortable.

"Diego, thank you," his father said in a hoarse voice and reached out with his hand to touch his arm.

"Father, you're awake," Diego said surprised. "What are you thanking me for? How are you feeling today?"

"Except for some pain in the leg, I'm fine. If not for you and Victoria, I wouldn't be here at all. I must thank you for all you did for me and the pueblo." Alejandro saw the surprise on Diego's face when he realized that he knew now.

"You heard my conversation with Victoria yesterday!" Diego was dumbstruck. "I'm sorry, Father, I should have told you much earlier, but I wanted to protect you."

"It's alright, son. It's me who should apologize to you for the way I treated you, not the other way round. You have always been a good son. I had much time to think about everything last night when I lay awake here in my bed. And I must confess that I had a long talk with Felipe, too. After I heard your conversation I figured out that Felipe was your accomplice and he couldn't deny it when I told him that I knew. So don't be angry with him."

"I guess you left him no choice. So are there any questions you haven't asked Felipe yet or is your curiosity satisfied for the moment, Father?"

"I would like to see that cave that you have hidden from me, but I think I'll have to wait until my leg has healed enough. I'm sorry we wasted the last years because of the secrecy and I hope I can be a better father to you in the future."

"Gracias, Father, I'm really glad it's no longer standing between us. If you hadn't listened in yesterday I would have told you today." Diego stopped, and Alejandro could see that something was bothering him.

"What is it, Diego? Are you afraid, I won't be able to keep your secret? Or upset that you haven't told me earlier?" Alejandro took his son's hand. "Don't worry. I won't say a word, although I think it won't matter anymore since the alcalde was killed yesterday. I'm proud of you, son. If you hadn't saved us together with the soldiers we'd all be dead."

"Actually, it is yesterday I'd like to discuss. May I ask you something, Father?"

"Of course, Diego. Just ask me what you want to know."

Diego rose from the chair he had been sitting in and began pacing the room followed by his father's eyes before he sat down at the bedside again.

"As Zorro I have always worked alone and never killed anyone. You know that I'm not a military man though I have studied military strategy at the university, but yesterday was different."

"You'd never have been able to overcome the bandits on your own. The truce with the soldiers was the right thing to do. What is wrong with that?"

"The soldiers were under my command and it was my plan. I tried to avoid any killings, but I couldn't prevent it. There were deaths on both sides and I'm the one who is responsible for them."

Diego ran his fingers through his hair before he looked at his father again, displaying the pain he felt. Reaching out for his father's arm, he looked at him pleadingly.

"Please, tell me, Father, when you were a soldier and you sent the men under your command to their deaths, how could you live with that?"

"That is never easy, Diego and I understand that it is bothering you. But trust me, what you did was right. Sometimes there is no other way. It took me some time to find my peace with the deaths I felt responsible for as a commanding officer. Let me tell you of my first command as a young soldier.."

Alejandro began to recount the events of an attack he had commanded at Guernavarca. He hadn't been able to share this with his son who couldn't understand it before, since Diego had lacked the experience to have men under his command and have them die for it.

Thus began a long discussion between father and son with Alejandro trying to relieve his son from the guilt he felt, because of the deaths he wasn't able to prevent.

It wasn't something that could be solved in a single hour and would take some time, but now Diego had his father he could turn to, and Alejandro was happy to help his son, through his own experiences, to cope with the burden.

It was the beginning of many long conversations while Alejandro was recovering, with Diego keeping him company, that mended the relationship between father and son better than any revealed secret ever could.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

It was mid morning when Victoria awoke again. Surprised at having slept so late when she was used to rising early for work she went for breakfast. Diego had already eaten, saying that he hadn't been able to sleep long, and she noticed the dark circles under his eyes, showing his lack of sleep.

The doctor had already been at the hacienda to look after Don Alejandro who had been lucky to suffer only from a clear shot. He would have to stay in bed for a few more days to rest his injured leg, but if there was no infection he would likely be up again soon..

Diego accompanied Victoria to the pueblo where Padre Benitez would be holding a mass for the dead and all those who had suffered from the attack.

The church was filled to the brim and there was hardly anyone who hadn't suffered in some way and wanted to offer their condolences to those who had lost someone during the attack. The padre's speech was full of compassion and he tried to comfort all with their faith in God offering his consolation in this hour of need.

With Victoria's hand on his arm for her support, Diego led her out of the church to talk with Paula's parents.

"I'm sorry about what happened to Paula, Señora Gonzalez. It was terrible and I wish I could have done anything to prevent it," Victoria said apologetically, expressing her sympathy.

"I don't need your compassion, Señorita," Paula's mother attacked her. "It's all your fault. You let her work in your tavern when you knew that she was much too young for it and you didn't protect her from this man. And now she can't even get a proper funeral because she killed the bandit and herself."

"I couldn't do anything, Señora," Victoria tried to defend her herself, shocked by the accusation, but Señora Gonzalez wasn't finished.

"Your Zorro, he came for you, but not for my Paula. Why couldn't he save her instead of a tavern whore like you! But he only cared for his lover! Get out of my way!" Señora Gonzalez started to wail. Her husband who had remained silent tried to comfort her and addressed Victoria asking for her understanding. "You must excuse my wife, she didn't mean what she said. But you must understand that Paula was our only daughter. I'm sure you did what you could."

"Señora Gonzalez," Diego intervened, "Zorro did all he could to save everyone in the tavern and I'm sure he feels sorry like all of us that he couldn't save your daughter. I understand your sorrow, but it gives you no right to insult and accuse Señorita Victoria who was unable to do anything about it."

Diego put an arm around Victoria's shoulder when she started to cry, hurt by the accusations and walked with her to the tavern.

"Oh Diego," she cried in his arms once they were inside, "I couldn't do anything, believe me. I have gone over that horrible day again and again in my mind, and I can't think of anything I could have done to help her."

"I should have come earlier with the soldiers or if I hadn't come into the pueblo because of that immigration tax nothing would have happened. Only because I led the soldiers away from the pueblo were the bandits able to attack Los Angeles." Diego expressed the guilt he was feeling about his part of the events.

"Diego, you couldn't have anticipated the attack. Without you everything would have been worse. Maybe we must both accept that we can't change what has happened. We tried our best even if that didn't save innocents from suffering."

"Querida, how can you be so sympathetic when you have been through so much yourself? I really love you for that." Kissing and standing there in a tight embrace they comforted each other for some time.

"I must get back to work," Victoria wiped the remaining tears from her eyes with a handkerchief Diego had given her and started to rearrange the tables and chairs to their usual order. She stopped when she approached the stairs. For a moment she stared at the floor where the soldiers hadn't been able to remove the dark spots from the wooden flooring. Shaking a little when the image of her friend lying in her blood came vividly back to her mind, she carefully avoided the spot by moving around it.

Diego, having noticed her movement, realized what was going through her mind, remembering the events all too clearly himself.

"Victoria, I think it's best if you leave the tavern closed for today and come back with me to the hacienda. Nobody is in the mood for a nice chat in the tavern today when all our thoughts are with the victims of the attack. Give yourself a break, too."

"Yesterday I left rather in a haste and look how the soldiers have left it behind. I can't leave right away, Diego."

"I have a few more things to do in the pueblo and at the Guardian office. Why don't you come over to the office when you're through here?"

"If you don't mind waiting for me?"

"Don't worry, Victoria. Take your time."

It was about two hours later when Victoria had put everything in place again as it should be. Somehow relieved to leave the tavern behind, she went to the Guardian office, finding it locked. Searching for Diego in the pueblo she finally found him in deep conversation with the padre at the mission.

They returned to the hacienda together, because Victoria was still too shocked to stay at the tavern alone during the night and Diego wanted to have her safe by his side.


End file.
